PlayStation 4 Partner With Channel 4 For Console Launch Campaign

Entertainment giants Sony and Channel 4 have forged a partnership ahead of the UK release of the PlayStation 4.

Now, this partnership isn’t the normal form of TV advertising that often accompanies a game or console launch, but instead presents a custom approach making use of Channel 4’s iconic idents.

From Friday 22nd November the standard Channel 4 ‘floating’ idents were replaced by two-second ‘blipverts’ and ten-second teasers created entirely using in-game engines such as the screenshot below. These ads are also part of a tie-in competition starting on PlayStation 4 launch day — Friday 29th November.

Viewers will have the chance to win themselves a console in live competition spots that will run in the ad breaks of key Channel 4 programming across the weekend. This includes ad slots during the new Charlie Brooker documentary ‘How Videogames Changed the World’. Full details on the promotion can be found at Channel4.com/PS4.

Currently only #DRIVECLUB and Killzone: Shadow Fall have been revealed as games to be featured, but we’d bet Knack and Resogun will surely feature as both are also console exclusive titles.

Murray Pannell, Marketing Director at PlayStation, has this to say on the partnership:

“Partnering with Channel 4 brings scale, creativity and innovation to our launch, adding another level to the ATL brand campaign and continuing to demonstrate that PS4 is for the players”

“This is a really innovative partnership between two natural bedfellows, focussing on the visual power of both brands and asking our viewers to engage in a completely new way with advertising. We are very excited.”